Needle-threader for sewing-machines



v (No Model.)

B. N. MQPHERRON. NEEDLE THREADER FOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 303,030.

Patented Aug. 5, 1884.

.FIQ. l.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

EDWVIN N. MOPHERRON, OF GREENFIELD, ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE-THREADER FOR SE'WlNG-MACHBNES.

SPECIPICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,030, dated August5, 1884.

Application filed November 16. 1883.

needle-threaders for sewing-machines, the object of the same being toprovide a conical thread-guide of simple construction adapted to beclosed and opened by the needle itself.

A further object of my invention is to provide the threader with a stopadapted to abut against the side of the needle, of such form as toinsure coincidence of the axis of the needle .with the center of theopening in the wall of the conical thread-guide. V

A. still further object of my invention is to provide means forpreventing the fibrous end of the thread, while being passed into theeye of the needle, from catching upon the lower edge thereof.

Theseimprovements I accomplish by certain details of construction andcombinations of parts, fully explained hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of mydevice, showing a por tion of the needle-ban and the head of the machine, in which it slides, with such other parts as necessarilyco-operate with the device. Fig.

2 is a side sectional elevation of the same,

taken in the line of the axis of the needle, exhibiting the lowerportion of the latter in connection with the threader. Fig. 3 is a' rearview of the threader without the needle. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan viewtaken in the line as as, Fig. 1;, enlarged.

In Fig. 1,A represents a portion of the sewing-machine head, in whichthe needle-bar slides.

B represents the needle-bar, and a the arm of the threader, pivoted uponan axis,p,which is secured to the lower rear part of the head A in suchposition as to allow the arm a to swing round through half a revolutioninto the position indicated by the arrow 1'.

To the lower extremity of the arm a is se- (No model.)

cured, in the position shown in the drawings,

'a funnel-shaped thread-guide, b, the small orifice of which is adaptedto coincide with the eye of the needle, said orifice being acontinuation of the narrow slot 0 in the vertical wall of thethread-guide I), the said slot 0 being adapted to receive and be closedby the needle, the funnel-shaped guide being so adjusted upon thesupporting-arm a as to press lightly upon the side of the needle.

To the rear of the thread-guide b is secured a curved plate, f, thegeneral contour of which will be understood by reference to Figs. 3 and4. The office of this curved plate is to push aside the needle as thethreader-arm a is turned down into position for threading, the rearedge, 9, being adapted to impinge upon the side of the needle by thereact-ion of a spiral spring upon the axis 1), which, thoughco-opcrating with my invention, forms no part thereof, the only featureof noveltyin connection with the curved plate here referred to be ingthe peculiar bevel given to the edge that abuts against the side of theneedle, so as to adapt it, as hereinafter explained, to needles ofdifferent sizes, in such manner as to always bring the groove in theside of the needle, as wellas the eye, to the center of the slot 0.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noticed that the thread-guide l) isprovided with a very small tongue of metal, h, beneath the orificetherein, said tongue being adapted to project within the eye of theneedle at the lower part thereof, thus forming a continuation of thewall of the thread-guide into the interior of the eye of the needle. Theobject of this con trivance is to prevent the possibility of the fibrousend of the thread catching upon the lower edge of the entrance to theneedle-eye.

The operation of my device is as follows: The threader being turned upagainst the side of the head of the machine, as indicated by the arrowr, it is turned down against the resistance of the spiral spring uponthe axis p, the curved plate f being so formed as to spring aside theneedle until the edge 9 is passed, when, by its reactionary force, itfalls into the slot 0, being at the same time held by the reaction ofthe spiral spring upon the axis 1; a ainst the beveled edge g of theplate f, the

a a said edge 9 being beveled at such an angle that whatever the size ofthe needle the groove therein shall be brought to the center of the slot0. Matters being thus, the end of the thread is passed into thethread-guide, by which it is conducted through the eye of the needle.Being then taken hold of between the thumb and forefinger, .it is drawntight horizontally, as indicated by the arrow 8. The effect of thislatter action is to spring the needle aside from the edge or shoulder gof the plate f, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, when thethreader instantly flies back by the reaction of the spring upon theaxis p into the position indicated by the arrow i.

As a matter of preference the conical threadguide is attached to the arma in an almost vertical position, so as to facilitate the operation ofthreading, which is usually accomplished by a downward rather than ahorizontal movement.

The device here presented having some of the features of one of myformer inventions, consisting of an improvement in needle-threaders forsewing-machines, filed June 21, 1883, allowed September 4, 1883, SerialNo. 98,767 incorporated into it, I do not claim all that is here shownand described.

What I do claim, however, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- Aneedle-threader for sewing-machines in which are combined a conicalthread-guide, b, pivoted by an arm, a, to the head A of the machine, andprovided with a slot, 0-, which is adapted, when in position forthreading, to be closed by the grooved side of the needle, a tongue, h,projecting from the lower edge of the orifice of the conicalthread-guide, adapted to enter the lower part of the eye of the needlefor the purpose of preventing the end of the thread, when presented tothe entrance of the eye, from catching upon the lower edge thereof, andthe curved plate f, provided with a beveled needle rest or stop, all ofsaid parts being formed and combined as and for the purpose herein setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this31st day of October, 1883,

NEWTON GRAY, I. HOWARD GRAY.

